The Pac-12 isn’t last in all the categories used to formulate the rankings. It’s seventh in ‘NCAA title likelihood’ and ‘star players factor’ but sixth out of seven in ‘watchability’ and ‘top/bottom strength.’

2. Arizona State (17-8/8-5, NET: 68)
Last week: 2
Results: Lost at Colorado 77-73, won at Utah 98-87
Next up: vs. Stanford (Wednesday)
Comment: We saw the best of the Sun Devils in Salt Lake City. In that mode, they’re capable of winning two in the NCAAs. But if they aren’t in that mode often enough over the next four weekends, they won’t get to the NCAAs.

3. Oregon State (16-8/8-4, NET: 84)
Last week: 4
Results: Beat Oregon 72-57
Next up: at UCLA (Thursday)
Comment: Beavers aiming for their first season sweep of UCLA since Gary Payton’s sophomore year (1987-88). The teams finished tied for second, behind Arizona, in the conference race.

4. Colorado (16-9/7-6, NET: 73)
Last week: 6
Results: Beat Arizona State 77-73 and Arizona 67-60
Next up: at Washington State (Wednesday)
Comment: For the twin purposes of tournament seeding and momentum, the Buffs cannot afford to get swept this week. Which means they need a win in Pullman.

5. Oregon (15-10/6-6, NET: 69)
Last week: 3
Results: Lost at Oregon State 72-57
Next up: at USC (Thursday)
Comment: What’s left for the Ducks after getting swept in the Civil War hoops series? Welp, they’ll always have football.

6. Utah (14-11/8-5, NET: 101)
Last week: 5
Results: Beat Arizona 83-76, lost to Arizona State 98-87
Next up: at Washington (Wednesday)
Comment: With Utah’s defense, as with the Pac-12 in general, I am mesmerized by the mess. Utes are No. 272 in the Pomeroy defensive efficiency rankings. Only two Power Six teams are worse: Washington State and Cal.

7. Stanford (14-11/7-6, NET: 96)
Last week: 9
Results: Beat USC 79-76 and UCLA 104-80
Next up: at Arizona State (Wednesday)
Comment: Stretch-run opportunity for the Cardinal to generate real momentum with Arizona struggling and then three home games to finish the season. But first, it must get past ASU, and the Devils should be locked in after losing the first meeting.

8. USC (14-12/7-6, NET: 88)
Last week: 7
Results: Lost at Stanford 79-76, won at Cal 89-66
Next up: vs. Oregon (Thursday)
Comment: What do you expect from a football schoo … err, um … from a men’s water polo school.

9. UCLA (13-13/6-7, NET: 114)
Last week: 8
Results: Won at Cal 75-67, lost at Stanford 104-80
Next up: vs. Oregon State
Comment: The five teams directly above UCLA in the NET rankings: Montana, Northern Kentucky, Rutgers, Ball State and Penn.

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10. Arizona (14-12/5-8, NET: 87)
Last week: 10
Results: Lost at Utah 83-76 and Colorado 67-60
Next up: vs. Cal (Thursday)
Comment: Positive news on and off the court: The losing streak ends Thursday, guaranteed, and Lute Olson is in good condition after suffering a minor stroke.

11. Washington State (10-15/3-9, NET: 172)
Last week: 11
Results: Lost to Washington 72-70
Next up: vs. Colorado (Wednesday)
Comment: Uptick to permanently competitive or merely a fleeting show of competence? I need to see more from the Cougars before being convinced of the former.

12. Cal (5-20/0-13, NET: 274)
Last week: 12
Results: Lost to UCLA 75-67 and USC 89-66
Next up: at Arizona (Thursday)
Comment: The last time a team went 0-18: Oregon State in 2007-08, when the loaded conference (Westbrook, Love, Mayo, Harden) sent six teams to the NCAAs.

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Jon Wilner has been covering college sports for decades and is an AP top-25 football and basketball voter as well as a Heisman Trophy voter. He was named Beat Writer of the Year in 2013 by the Football Writers Association of America for his coverage of the Pac-12, won first place for feature writing in 2016 in the Associated Press Sports Editors writing contest and is a five-time APSE honoree.

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